Improvement in car-coupling



W. R. PATTON Car Coupling.

Patented Aug; I870.

Witnesses M m Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. PATTON, OF DES MOINES, IOWA, ASSIGNOR FOR ONE-HALF HIS RIGHTTO DENISON TISDALE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMEF JT IN CAR-COUPLING.

I, WILLIAM R. PATTON, of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State ofIowa, have invented certain Improvements in Oar-Couplings, of which thefollowing is a specification:

My invention an automatic car-coupling that may be readily uncoupled bya person at the outside of the car, or on the platform, or on the top ofthe car; and consists in a pcculiar combination of springs and catchesand levers, as hereinafter described.

The drawing is a perspective view of my coupling with the top plateremoved, showing every part of the mechanism employed.

A A A A is the body of the coupling-box, made of cast or wrought metal.The enlargements of the sides are made to add strength and to formsuitable places to receive the bolts by which the top plate is secured,to cover and keep in place and protect the mechanism within the box.

B B is the right coupling-jaw. O is the left coupling-jaw, with the rearend removed. (The dotted lines, however, indicate its proportions andconnections.) Both of these couplingjaws are pivoted in their respectiveplaces by bolts passing through them, and also through the coupling-boxand its cover, in such mannor as to allow .them lateral motion. Theirfront ends are shaped to correspond with the funnel-shaped mouth of thebox, for the purpose of receiving and guiding the barbed coupling'linkto the recesses where the barb or head of the link is held. The recessesare formed in the coupling'jaws, and are nearly square, extending fromthe top to the bottom.

D is the right lever or arm, pivoted in the rear end of the rightcoupling-jaw. E is the left arm, pivoted in the rear end of the leftcoupling-jaw. These arms extend outside of the coupling-box, and areconnected on the outside by an eccentric. G is the eccentric, forming anelbow-joint with each arm. H is a solid shaft, permanently attached tothe cocecentric near its center. This shaft is secured to the car withjournal-boxes or equivalents, and may extend to the top of the car, witha hand-wheel at its top. By turning on this wheel the eccentric is madeto pull outward the right arm, D, and press inward the left arm, E. Thisaction works the couplingjaws on their pivots and opens the recess andrelieves the head of the link.

I I is one-half of the barbed coupling-link. Both ends are of uniformsize and shape, but the link may vary in form. a a represent thecoil-springs, placed in position to constantly press the right and leftcoupling-jaws together. b is a spring-bolt, with an enlarged end, thatenters the recess formed in the'coupling-jaws, and passes backwardthrough "a'hollow projection, which may be cast upon or bolted upon thebottom of the box. 0 c is a cross-bar, permanently attached to thespring-bolt, and has catches formed on its ends? The couplingjaws havenotches on their lower sides corresponding with the catches on thecross-bars.

d is a hollow projection, through which the spring-bolt passes. c is ,a"coil-spring that presses the spring-boltforward into the recess. g g isa chamber formed upon ;the bottom of the box, which serves as a guidefor the springbolt and a chamber for the coil-spring. his a lever,pivoted in the side of the box and connected with the rear end of thespring-bolt. By pressing forward upon this lever h the spring-bolt isdrawn back, and the catches on the cross-bar are freed from the notchesin the coupling-jaws.

The object of the spring-bolt with its crossbar and catches is to holdthe recess open, so that the head of the coupling-link can escapetherefrom. After the head of the link has escaped the recess can beclosed by pressing forward upon the lever h. This device may be used, ifdesired, but may not be required. The head of the link, entering therecess and pressing upon the spring-bolt, performs the same service, andfrees the coupling-jaws, so that they will close upon the head of thecoupling-link.

k is a handle attached to the eccentric, and may be conveniently usedfor uncoupling by a person standing at the side of the car.

Every part of my coupling is made of metal, strong and durable. One ofmy couplings can be placed on each end of each'car, and a coupling-linkmay be placed in each one. Upon the meeting of the cars each link entersthe recess of the other, and the coupling is formed with two links. Onelinkis all that is required;

but if a link should be in each recess it will not prevent the couplingfrom being completed, and is therefore advantageous.

The recess and the mouth on the couplingjaws leading to it, togetherwith the neck and head of the coupling-link, form a connection similarto a swivel, and admit of the turning and twisting of the link. Thepivoting of the coupling-jaws, together with the coil-springs, providessufficient elasticity, so that the coupling-links are not held rigidly,and are therefore free from the danger of being broken by theoscillating motion of the cars.

I am aware that there is no new mechanism in my coupling, excepting thepeculiar manner in which the difl'erent parts are formed, combined, andoperated.

Claim.

I claim as my invention- The coupling-box A A A A, the couplingjaws B Band O, the arms D and E, the eccentric G, the shaft H, the coupling-boltI I, the springs a a, the spring-bolt b, the cross-bar c c, the hollowprojection d, the chamber g g, the lever h, and the handle k, all made,combined, and operated substantially as described, and for the purposesspecified.

WVILLIAM B. PATTON.

